Dennis Gillespie Player Profile

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Player Details

  • Full Name: Dennis Gillespie
  • Born: January 8th, 1936 (Duntochter)
  • Died: June 5th, 2001
  • Height: 5' 9
  • Position: Inside Forward
  • Signed: August 27th, 1959 (£3,000)
  • First Manager: Jerry Kerr
  • Career Totals: 455 appearances, 115 goals
  • Also Played For: Alloa Athletic, Brechin City


Playing History

Season Win % Draw % Loss %
1970-71 5 (5) 1 0 0 40.0% 30.0% 30.0%
1969-70 44 2 1 0 43.2% 13.6% 43.2%
1968-69 35 1 0 0 51.4% 20.0% 28.6%
1967-68 38 4 0 0 28.9% 31.6% 39.5%
1966-67 38 6 0 0 50.0% 21.1% 28.9%
1965-66 36 8 0 0 50.0% 19.4% 30.6%
1964-65 53 12 0 0 58.5% 11.3% 30.2%
1963-64 46 13 0 0 39.1% 26.1% 34.8%
1962-63 43 18 0 0 44.2% 32.6% 23.3%
1961-62 38 16 0 0 34.2% 21.1% 44.7%
1960-61 38 15 0 0 36.8% 23.7% 39.5%
1959-60 36 19 0 0 58.3% 19.4% 22.2%
Totals: 450 (5) 115


 Apps = First Team Appearances (Sub Appearances) | Gls = Goals
 GtGR = Goals to Games Ratio | W/D/L - Games won, drawn or lost as percentage of games played in
 Yel = Yellow Cards/Cautions | Red = Red Cards/Dismissals

 Recent First Team Starts
 27/02/71 Division One vs. Dunfermline (A) 1 - 3
 20/02/71 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H) 3 - 2
 04/11/70 2nd Round 2nd Leg vs. Sparta Prague (H) 1 - 0
 19/09/70 Division One vs. Morton (A) 0 - 3
 22/08/70 Sectional Tie vs. Clyde (H) 1 - 1

 Recent First Team Goals
 12/09/70 Division One vs. Dundee (H) 3 - 2
 20/09/69 Division One vs. Dundee (A) 2 - 1
 13/09/69 Division One vs. Airdrie (H) 5 - 2
 10/08/68 Sectional Tie vs. Dunfermline (A) 2 - 3
 27/04/68 Division One vs. Stirling Albion (A) 2 - 2

 List of Goals Scored (click to expand)
 12/09/70 Division One vs. Dundee (H)  3 - 2
 20/09/69 Division One vs. Dundee (A)  2 - 1
 13/09/69 Division One vs. Airdrie (H)  5 - 2
 10/08/68 Sectional Tie vs. Dunfermline (A)  2 - 3
 27/04/68 Division One vs. Stirling Albion (A)  2 - 2
 16/03/68 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (H)  3 - 3
 18/11/67 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (A)  1 - 0
 16/08/67 Sectional Tie vs. Aberdeen (H)  5 - 0
 03/05/67 Division One vs. Celtic (A)  3 - 2
 05/04/67 Division One vs. Falkirk (H)  4 - 4
 14/01/67 Division One vs. Rangers (A)  1 - 3
 31/12/66 Division One vs. Celtic (H)  3 - 2
 03/12/66 Division One vs. Falkirk (A)  3 - 0
 19/11/66 Division One vs. Motherwell (A)  1 - 1
 20/04/66 Division One vs. Hibernian (A)  3 - 3
 20/04/66 Division One vs. Hibernian (A)  3 - 3
 09/04/66 Division One vs. Hibernian (H)  5 - 4
 09/04/66 Division One vs. Hibernian (H)  5 - 4
 02/10/65 Division One vs. Partick Th (H)  5 - 2
 11/09/65 Division One vs. Dundee (A)  5 - 0
 21/08/65 Sectional Tie vs. Motherwell (H)  4 - 1
 14/08/65 Sectional Tie vs. Celtic (H)  2 - 1
 24/04/65 Division One vs. Motherwell (H)  3 - 1
 27/03/65 Division One vs. Morton (H)  3 - 2
 24/03/65 Division One vs. Dundee (A)  4 - 2
 13/03/65 Division One vs. Clyde (H)  6 - 0
 13/03/65 Division One vs. Clyde (H)  6 - 0
 24/10/64 Division One vs. Airdrie (A)  3 - 3
 03/10/64 Division One vs. St Mirren (A)  1 - 2
 26/08/64 Sectional Tie vs. Falkirk (A)  2 - 5
 26/08/64 Sectional Tie vs. Falkirk (A)  2 - 5
 15/08/64 Sectional Tie vs. Motherwell (A)  1 - 0
 12/08/64 Sectional Tie vs. Falkirk (H)  3 - 0
 08/08/64 Sectional Tie vs. Dundee (A)  3 - 2
 09/05/64 Sectional Tie vs. Aberdeen (H)  4 - 1
 09/05/64 Sectional Tie vs. Aberdeen (H)  4 - 1
 21/03/64 Division One vs. Third Lanark (A)  2 - 2
 22/02/64 Division One vs. Motherwell (H)  4 - 1
 04/01/64 Division One vs. East Stirling (A)  1 - 1
 28/12/63 Division One vs. St Mirren (H)  6 - 2
 23/11/63 Division One vs. Third Lanark (H)  4 - 1
 26/10/63 Division One vs. Motherwell (A)  3 - 0
 05/10/63 Division One vs. Airdrie (H)  9 - 1
 05/10/63 Division One vs. Airdrie (H)  9 - 1
 21/09/63 Division One vs. East Stirling (H)  2 - 0
 07/09/63 Division One vs. St Johnstone (H)  3 - 1
 31/08/63 Sectional Tie vs. St Mirren (H)  3 - 2
 18/05/63 Division One vs. Partick Th (H)  2 - 2
 11/05/63 Division One vs. Celtic (H)  3 - 0
 07/05/63 Division One vs. Aberdeen (A)  2 - 1
 27/04/63 Division One vs. Airdrie (A)  2 - 4
 13/04/63 Semi Final vs. Rangers (N)  2 - 5
 08/04/63 Quarter Final 2nd Replay vs. QOS (N)  4 - 0
 20/03/63 3rd Round Replay vs. Queen's Park (H)  3 - 1
 02/03/63 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (A)  7 - 2
 02/03/63 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (A)  7 - 2
 26/01/63 1st Round vs. Albion Rovers (H)  3 - 0
 01/01/63 Division One vs. QOS (H)  2 - 1
 15/12/62 Division One vs. Hearts (A)  2 - 2
 24/11/62 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  3 - 3
 24/11/62 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  3 - 3
 27/10/62 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (H)  8 - 1
 27/10/62 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (H)  8 - 1
 27/10/62 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (H)  8 - 1
 29/09/62 Division One vs. Hibernian (H)  5 - 0
 23/04/62 Division One vs. Partick Th (A)  2 - 4
 07/04/62 Division One vs. Aberdeen (H)  2 - 2
 31/03/62 Division One vs. Falkirk (H)  4 - 1
 31/03/62 Division One vs. Falkirk (H)  4 - 1
 24/02/62 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (H)  4 - 2
 18/11/61 Division One vs. Motherwell (A)  1 - 2
 04/11/61 Division One vs. Airdrie (A)  3 - 3
 21/10/61 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  1 - 2
 14/10/61 Division One vs. St Mirren (H)  3 - 1
 07/10/61 Division One vs. Third Lanark (A)  2 - 7
 23/09/61 Division One vs. Celtic (A)  1 - 3
 09/09/61 Division One vs. Dundee (A)  1 - 4
 02/09/61 Sectional Tie vs. Aberdeen (A)  2 - 2
 23/08/61 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H)  3 - 2
 19/08/61 Sectional Tie vs. Aberdeen (H)  5 - 3
 12/08/61 Sectional Tie vs. Motherwell (A)  3 - 5
 29/04/61 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H)  5 - 0
 29/04/61 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H)  5 - 0
 29/04/61 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H)  5 - 0
 08/04/61 Division One vs. St Mirren (A)  3 - 0
 01/04/61 Division One vs. Aberdeen (H)  3 - 3
 04/02/61 Division One vs. Airdrie (A)  4 - 4
 14/01/61 Division One vs. Partick Th (H)  3 - 0
 24/12/60 Division One vs. Dunfermline (A)  2 - 3
 17/12/60 Division One vs. Ayr Utd (H)  2 - 1
 03/12/60 Division One vs. St Mirren (H)  2 - 0
 26/11/60 Division One vs. Aberdeen (A)  3 - 1
 08/10/60 Division One vs. Airdrie (H)  1 - 2
 01/10/60 Division One vs. Hearts (A)  1 - 1
 24/08/60 Division One vs. Hibernian (H)  3 - 1
 17/08/60 Group Section 8 vs. Brechin City (H)  2 - 1
 16/04/60 Division Two vs. QOS (A)  4 - 4
 02/04/60 Division Two vs. Forfar Athletic (H)  4 - 0
 27/02/60 Division Two vs. Albion Rovers (A)  4 - 1
 13/02/60 2nd Round vs. Partick Th (H)  2 - 2
 06/02/60 Division Two vs. East Stirling (H)  6 - 1
 06/02/60 Division Two vs. East Stirling (H)  6 - 1
 30/01/60 Division Two vs. Cowdenbeath (H)  2 - 3
 16/01/60 Division Two vs. Stenhousemuir (H)  1 - 2
 26/12/59 Division Two vs. East Fife (H)  6 - 0
 26/12/59 Division Two vs. East Fife (H)  6 - 0
 12/12/59 Division Two vs. Falkirk (H)  1 - 0
 28/11/59 Division Two vs. Forfar Athletic (A)  3 - 1
 21/11/59 Division Two vs. Alloa Athletic (H)  2 - 1
 03/10/59 Division Two vs. Brechin City (H)  3 - 1
 26/09/59 Division Two vs. Stenhousemuir (A)  3 - 0
 12/09/59 Division Two vs. Queen's Park (A)  8 - 1
 12/09/59 Division Two vs. Queen's Park (A)  8 - 1
 12/09/59 Division Two vs. Queen's Park (A)  8 - 1
 09/09/59 Division Two vs. Dumbarton (A)  2 - 3

 List of Games Played
Sorry, there are too many games to display for this player.


Biography

After completing his national service Dennis was spotted by then Alloa Athletic manager Jerry Kerr whilst playing for Clydebank Juveniles, but spent a year with Duntocher Hibs before joining the Recreation Park club. A regular in his two seasons at Alloa, Dennis was already known to the Tannadice faithful, after he had terrorised United in a humiliating 7-1 home defeat to the Wasps in April 1958, scoring twice that day. He had also scored a brace for Alloa in a 3-1 loss for United at Recreation Park the following season. When Kerr left Alloa to become United manager in June 1959, he quickly returned to his old club to secure the services of the inside-forward, who signed for United prior to the second league game of the 1959-60 season for £3,000.

Making his debut the following week against St Johnstone, he turned out to be one of Jerry Kerr's most inspired acquisitions. A forceful attacking player, Dennis was a vital part of the side that won promotion to Division One that season, finishing as second top scorer, including a hat-trick against Queens Park. He was a regular in the side for the next four seasons and kept up his scoring rate, finishing as the club's top scorer in their first year back in the top flight, and notched further hat-tricks against Dunfermline Athletic and Raith Rovers. A big favourite with the fans, Dennis was the first United player to turn out at senior international level for Scotland when he played for the Scottish League against the League of Ireland at Dalymont Park in Dublin in 1961.

During this time, Dennis was a crucial part of the United side that reached the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup for the first time in 1963, their first League Cup semi-final in 1964, and he collected a runners-up medal after reaching the final of the short-lived Summer Cup competition in 1965. They gained the club's highest ever league position at the time when they finished in 5th place in Division One at the end of the 1965/66 season, a position that meant that the club qualified for European football for the first time.

After turning 30 in 1966, he took more of a supporting role, playing in a deeper wing-half position but was still a regular in the side. He was in the line-up as United faced and defeated Barcelona in the Club's first venture into European football, as well as both legs against Juventus in the next round. In the summer of 1967, Dennis was part of a sixteen man squad that travelled to the United States to represent Dallas Tornado in the United Soccer Association competition. By season 1968-69 Dennis was the regular right half and he revelled in his new role for two seasons, playing in more Fairs Cup ties against Newcastle United, Grasshoppers of Zurich and Sparta Prague, and returned with the team to the USA for another close season tour in the summer of 1969.

He spent his last two years at the Club playing mainly in the reserves, passing on the benefit of his experience to the younger players. Offered a coaching role in April 1972, he elected not to accept as he wanted to continue playing and he went to Brechin City. Having only been booked once during his career at Tannadice, Dennis, now playing as a sweeper, was booked three times in his first season at Glebe Park. He remained there for four years before retiring in 1976.

In May 1973, Dennis was awarded a testimonial in which several well known guest players joined his United colleagues and a Dundee XI in front of a crowd of more than 10,000 to pay tribute to a Club legend. Dennis passed away aged 65 in June 2001 after a long illness. In January 2008, Dennis was one of the first players inducted into the Dundee United Hall of Fame.

Last updated on Thursday, December 23rd, 2021 by N Harkiss.





Debut

September 5th, 1959
Dundee United 0 - 1 St Johnstone

League (Division Two)


Timeline